Having never been camping in my childhood, my base of experience has been improving since being married, but is still lacking.
We camped a couple weeks ago.
After setting up tents, hiking around, making campfires, and being visited by a raccoon family, one of my sons broke his arm while riding around on his bicycle. Although the doctors were kind and very skilled, it ended up being a +$5000 bill, which consequently has slowed the debt payoff by a bit. God is still gracious, in that things weren’t worse, and the events surrounding everything came together like clockwork.
Remembering that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord (Romans 8:28) is a very comforting verse in times like these. Given all of the variety of circumstances we each face every day, whether happy or sad, it is truly a comfort to know that in God’s Sovereign control of every circumstance, big and small, everything ends up being for our good.
It ends up for our good, in that in difficult circumstances that ‘put the squeeze’ on us, we see what is in us. Need more help with patience? You would never know apart from being in circumstances where patience is required. Need to plan more? Well, God has that covered also. He will show you the holes in your plan and you get the opportunity to learn from them.
Camping, like life, gives you the opportunity in a distilled way, to show you how much you need support in this life. God expects us to come to Him when times are tough. And when they aren’t, we should be thankful to Him.